West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-08-19

t. be as brief as we will try to be.
In the present state of the public mind,
| it will be more satisfactory to delay an
| explanation, why Local Option is less
violation of personal liberty than Prohi-
| bition. The explanation will be pub
lished at another stagein the discussion.
Two methods have been tried to
promote Christianity, the method
of level headed men and the meth
cd of fanatics. The first reasoned
with the conscience, and appealed
to the better instincts of man; the
second coerced him,-if need be,
killed him, unless he accepted the
beliefs of the persons, who, for the
time, exercised the powers of Gov
| eminent. The Savior followed the
first plan; his method was charity,
love, Cancellation, self-help and self
rule. History teaches that persecu-
ton made many hundred heretics
where it worked one conversion
There are two classes trying to
promote temperance; one class, re-
ly on moral suasion: they take hui
man nature as they find it, and deal
with mans infirmity, as it exists,
recognizing that God gives to
some men greater powers of self
control that he gives to others. The
other class believe in coercion, and
in compelling men to abstain from
liquor. Those who believe in COM
pulls Dry temperance proceed on the
idea that man is incapable of self
government, and needs a master,
precisely as boy needs father
The writer is well aware that these
persons will not admit, even to
themselves, that they consider their
neighbors incapable of self-govern-
ment, but could they calmly analyze
their own feelings, they would find
out that such is really the case
Let it be understood we speak of
the originatorS and leaders of prohi
bition: these men, whether they know
it or not, are fanatics,-they are
prompted by an itching desire to
compel and coerce other persons to
be as righteous as they imagine them
selves to be. Of course it is differ
ent with majority of their follow
ers: as rule, these followers have
accepted the prohibition idea with
out thinking and without inves-
tigation: they wish to promote tenn
perance and have taken 1t for grant
ed that this was a step in the right
direction, but just so sure as this
subject comes to be understood:
/ Just so sure rs it comes to be seen
in its true light, the level-headed
friends of temperance will leave the
ranks of prohibition and join those
who favor conservative and more eff
/ ficacious measures.
We say that prohibition origina-
ted with fanatics, whose methods are
based on the idea that man can
not be trusted to regulate, as
he should do, his private hab-
its and personal conduct, and
that, therefore, those who are wiser,
better. and more righteous than he
may compel him to act in such a
manner as they think best for his
welfare and hest for his happiness.
Hence, it is, that they propose to
prevent the manufacture and sale of
intoXicants, because in this way
they will.compel other men to con-
form their personal habits to stan
dard fixed by them, who, be-
ing wiser and more righteous, as
sumo the duty of regulating the pri-
vate lives of their neighbors as q
father regulates the conduct of his
son.
1t is impossible to disguise
the fact that this is the spirit
which actuates those now insisting
upon such extreme and radical leg
| islation as the Prohibition amend
ment.
The writer well knows that the
general desire topromote temperance
has induced many men to favor pro-
hibition who will not do so when
they reflect that they are
supporting 4 doctrine which
directly contrary to the first prin-
ciples of personal liberty. The
owners of this paper are in full SYM
patty with the motives of those try
ing to promote temperance, but we
cannot follow men so extreme and so
radical that they will presently